Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
A top Bahraini journalist has urged the kingdom’s media to report sensitive issues in a bid to help promote democracy and bring people together.
The role of the Press came under the spotlight at an open debate hosted by Bahrain’s ‘Political Development Institute’ under the theme: “the role of the Press in consolidating national unity”.
Akhbar Al Khaleej’s leading columnist Sayyed Zahraa asked: “Is there a national unity problem in Bahrain? Does Bahrain have a sectarian problem? Are there any threats endangering national unity? Definitely, yes. Otherwise we wouldn’t be here today?”
While stressing the need to recognise these problems, he wondered why some local newspapers avoided tackling sensitive issues.
When it comes to national unity, self-restraint and objectivity are the most required qualities, without exaggerating facts or seeking to downplay them.
“National unity is bigger than a mere pro or anti-government attitude,” he said. “It is a colossal issue.”
It is of the utmost importance to promote a culture of national unity, he added, to root out violence and extremism and to avoid fuelling fanaticism among future generations.
“National unity and sectarianism are no longer local issues as they feature now on the agenda of foreign powers, hence the real danger,” he said, calling on writers to tackle such issues from a Bahraini agenda solely.
Present at the meeting were Anwar Abulrahman, chairman of the Al Hilal Group which publishes Gulf Weekly, local editors-in-chief, columnists, journalists and intellectuals.
BPDI executive Dr Abdulla Al Ashaal stressed the vital role of the Press in shaping awareness, based on freedom of speech, championing rights and influencing public opinion so as to avert any external encroachments which may endanger the people of Bahrain.
He said: “A free Press is the basis for freedom of opinion. No viable freedom of thinking is possible unless it is multifaceted and diverse. The channels of expression are varied but the role of the Press remains vital in embodying freedom of opinion, shaping citizens’ consciousness and cementing national unity.”
Dr Al Asha’al stressed the vital need for such debate following a BPDI survey, conducted three months ago, which revealed alarming “negative trends” in Bahrain.
“Do our societies possess a truly democratic culture?” Al Watan editor-in-chief Dr Mohammed Al Banki asked.
In Bahrain, it appears some have little interest in democracy and others, full of ideology and political ferocity, often do not grasp its true meaning.
Mr Abdulrahman said Bahrainis were still learning the ABCs of democracy. However, this lack of democracy is not limited to Bahrain. He referred to an American university professor who published an article describing the absence of democracy in the US itself. The giant institutions and influential lobbies play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of presidential elections, for example.
“In Bahrain, the challenge facing newspapers is how to write about democracy so that people learn diverse opinions. Diversity is national and required,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Akhbar Al Khaleej writer and columnist Samira Rajab, stressed the urgent need for a code of honour for Bahraini Press to promote true democratic values. This prompted lawyer Fareed Ghazi to emphasise the need to reform Press institutions and to develop journalists professionally.
Forum director Anwar Abdulrahman painted a bleak picture at present. He said: “Most writers and columnists belong to conflicting schools. They write in accordance with their beliefs, dismissing any interest in championing the truth. It will be long before we could really establish an independent, credible and viable national school of Press.”
He also stressed the vital need to depoliticise the Press and optimise its quest for truth.
An Egyptian embassy media advisor diagnosed inherent self-destructive trends among some Bahraini newspapers.
“I have identified over 70 sectarian articles within one month. In each, the writer starts by condemning sectarianism only to fall into sectarianism in the same article,” he said.
This prompted Anwar Abdulrahman to say that some writers were not even aware of their sectarian approach to critical national issues.
Mohammed Hassan Al Aradi deplored the lack of clear political vision in Bahraini newspapers.
“Editors-in-chief should draw up a clear vision and guidelines regarding sensitive issues. The problem is that writers working in the same newspaper antagonise each other and advocate contradictory views,” he claimed.
Salah Al Jowder urged freedom for journalists to tackle the most sensitive issues and a law protecting them against any libel suits.
Though newspapers are diverse, some promote sectarianism instead of advocating national unity, he said.
The Press, he claimed, had turned its back on rational dialogue to engage into internecine disputes, fuelling sectarianism.
Al Mithaq editor-in-chief Dr Mohammed Al Sitri called for a code of honour to stave off sectarian trends and consolidate national unity.
Meanwhile, Al Wasat columnist Mohammed Al Othman warned against using the concept of national unity as an arbitrary pretext to curb freedom of opinion and marginalise others.
He also warned against the dangers of sectarian polarisation in Bahraini newspapers, putting the blame on a lack of vision.
Meanwhile, Al Waqt editor-in-chief Ibrahim Pashmi highlighted the official and non-official laws as the two parameters governing the Press.
While deploring the excessive politicisation of Bahraini society, Akhbar Al Khaleej’s editor-in-chief said the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution redrew the regional strategic map, deepening sectarian divide.
“Back in the fifties, Bahrainis supported Arab nationalism massively. A decade later the Marxist movement included Shiites and Sunnis but the Iranian revolution fuelled sectarian animosities”, Mr Abdulrahman said.
When talking about the national Press in Bahrain, he said, we need to take these historical facts into account.
Al Watan editor-in-chief intervened to deplore the deep polarisation prevailing in the Press.
“Newspapers are today labelled as left-liberal-oriented, liberal pro-government or loyal and at the payroll of other parties,” he said, adding that sectarianism seems deeply-rooted in many writers’ conscious or unconscious mindset.
“The new journalists who joined the profession suffer from an acute lack of professional experience. Educated in the eighties and nineties, they were deeply influenced by the Iranian Islamic revolution and the extremist Sunni schools of thought,” he said.
Mohammed Al Aradi said the local Press had become deeply polarised, which fuelled sectarian animosities.
He also wondered why editors-in-chief refrained from fighting this destructive trend, giving free vent to novice writers to tackle sensitive issues.
Columnist Samira Rajab said politicisation was not the problem, deploring the dangerous lack of political culture among Bahrainis.
“In the seventies, the region underwent big upheavals, destabilising national identities and creating a vacuum, which paved the way for political and religious trends to prevail,” she claimed.
Writer and columnist Abdulla Al Abbassi also urged the Bahraini educated elite to reconsider its priorities and put the issue of national unity high on its agenda.
While lauding the atmosphere of freedom prevailing in Bahrain, Sayyed Zahra deplored the Press for squandering this historic moment, turning it into a mere tool promoting sectarianism and deepening the divide between Sunnis and Shiites.
He also warned against external designs seeking to destabilise the whole region through fuelling such sectarian rifts.
While deploring the absence of a strong trade union capable of serving as a reference point, he called on editors-in-chiefs to meet and settle this issue.
Al Watan editor-in-chief said the Press was doing its best to serve national interests despite the absence of a clear vision.
He also stressed the need to develop journalists professionally and reduce the detrimental impact of ideologies in their writing.
Conclusion
n Anwar Abdulrahman urged all newspapers to consider the national interest as the leading basis. He also stressed the importance of shaping public opinion to preserve national interests.
n Al Mithaq editor-in-chief wondered whether newspapers were lucrative projects or charities. He also criticised certain newspapers for wooing this sect, or the other, to gain advertisements.
n Samira Rajab said sectarian-oriented papers were incapable of shaping public opinion.
n Sayyed Zayyed said that the role of the Press should not be overplayed as it is an element among other factors impacting public opinion.
n BPDI executive director revealed plans to launch five awards for best articles championing national unity and advocating anti-sectarianism.
Readers, what do you think? Send your letters to The Editor, Gulf Weekly, PO Box 5300, Manama, or email
editor@gulfweekly.com
